The Iowa gambling task (IGT) is a psychological task thought to simulate real-life decision making.It was introduced by Antoine Bechara, Antonio Damasio, Hanna Damasio and Steven Anderson,^[1] then researchers at the University of Iowa. It has been brought to popular attention by Antonio Damasio (proponent of the Somatic markers hypothesis) in his best-selling book Descartes' Error.^[2]

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The task was originally presented simply as the Gambling Task, or the 'OGT'. Later, it has been referred to as the Iowa gambling task and, less frequently, as Bechara's Gambling Task.^[3] The Iowa gambling task is widely used in research of cognition and emotion. A recent review listed more than 400 papers that made use of this paradigm.^[4]

• 1Task structure

The Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) is one of the most common paradigms used to assess decision-making and executive functioning in neurological and psychiatric disorders. Several reinforcement-learning (RL) models were recently proposed to refine the qualitative and quantitative inferences that can be.

Task structure[edit]

Participants are presented with four virtual decks of cards on a computer screen. They are told that each deck holds cards that will either reward or penalize them, using game money. The goal of the game is to win as much money as possible. The decks differ from each other in the balance of reward versus penalty cards. Thus, some decks are 'bad decks', and other decks are 'good decks', because some decks will tend to reward the player more often than other decks.

Common findings[edit]

Most healthy participants sample cards from each deck, and after about 40 or 50 selections are fairly good at sticking to the good decks. Patients with orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) dysfunction, however, continue to persevere with the bad decks, sometimes even though they know that they are losing money overall. Concurrent measurement of galvanic skin response shows that healthy participants show a 'stress' reaction to hovering over the bad decks after only 10 trials, long before conscious sensation that the decks are bad.^[5] By contrast, patients with amygdala lesions never develop this physiological reaction to impending punishment. In another test, patients with ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) dysfunction were shown to choose outcomes that yield high immediate gains in spite of higher losses in the future.^[6] Bechara and his colleagues explain these findings in terms of the somatic marker hypothesis.

The Iowa gambling task is currently being used by a number of research groups using fMRI to investigate which brain regions are activated by the task in healthy volunteers^[7] as well as clinical groups with conditions such as schizophrenia and obsessive compulsive disorder.

Critiques[edit]

Although the IGT has achieved prominence, it is not without its critics. Criticisms have been raised over both its design and its interpretation. Published critiques include:

• A paper by Dunn, Dalgliesh and Lawrence^[4]
• Research by Lin, Chiu, Lee and Hsieh,^[8] who argue that a common result (the 'prominent deck B' phenomenon) argues against some of the interpretations that the IGT has been claimed to support.
• Research by Chiu and Lin,^[9] the 'sunken deck C' phenomenon was identified, which confirmed a serious confound embedded in the original design of IGT, this confound makes IGT serial studies misinterpret the effect of gain-loss frequency as final-outcome for Somatic marker hypothesis.
• A research group in Taiwan utilized an IGT-modified and relatively symmetrical gamble for gain-loss frequency and long-term outcome, namely the Soochow gambling task (SGT) demonstrated a reverse finding of Iowa gambling task.^[10] Normal decision makers in SGT were mostly occupied by the immediate perspective of gain-loss and inability to hunch the long-term outcome in the standard procedure of IGT (100 trials under uncertainty). In his book, Inside the investor's brain,^[11]Richard L. Peterson considered the serial findings of SGT may be congruent with the Nassim Taleb's^[12] suggestion on some fooled choices in investment.

References[edit]

1. ^Bechara, A., Damasio, A. R., Damasio, H., Anderson, S. W. (1994). 'Insensitivity to future consequences following damage to human prefrontal cortex'. Cognition. 50 (1–3): 7–15. doi:10.1016/0010-0277(94)90018-3. PMID8039375.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
2. ^Damasio, António R. (2008) [1994]. Descartes' Error: Emotion, Reason and the Human Brain. Random House. ISBN978-1-4070-7206-7.Descartes' Error
3. ^Busemeyer JR, Stout JC (2002). 'A contribution of cognitive decision models to clinical assessment: Decomposing performance on the Bechara gambling task'. Psychological Assessment. 14 (3): 253–262. doi:10.1037/1040-3590.14.3.253.
4. ^ ^abDunn BD, Dalgleish T, Lawrence AD (2006). 'The somatic marker hypothesis: a critical evaluation'. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 30 (2): 239–71. doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2005.07.001. PMID16197997.
5. ^Bechara A, Damasio H, Tranel D, Damasio AR (1997). 'Deciding advantageously before knowing the advantageous strategy'. Science. 275 (5304): 1293–5. doi:10.1126/science.275.5304.1293. PMID9036851.
6. ^Bechara A, Damasio H, Tranel D, Damasio AR (2000). 'Characterization of the decision-making deficit of patients with ventromedial prefrontal cortex lesions'. Brain. 123 (11): 2189–2202. doi:10.1093/brain/123.11.2189. PMID11050020.
7. ^Fukui H, Murai T, Fukuyama H, Hayashi T, Hanakawa T (2005). 'Functional activity related to risk anticipation during performance of the Iowa Gambling Task'. NeuroImage. 24 (1): 253–9. doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2004.08.028. PMID15588617.
8. ^Lin CH, Chiu YC, Lee PL, Hsieh JC (2007). 'Is deck B a disadvantageous deck in the Iowa Gambling Task?'. Behav Brain Funct. 3: 16. doi:10.1186/1744-9081-3-16. PMC1839101. PMID17362508.
9. ^Chiu, Yao-Chu; Lin, Ching-Hung (August 2007). 'Is deck C an advantageous deck in the Iowa Gambling Task?'. Behavioral and Brain Functions. 3 (1): 37. doi:10.1186/1744-9081-3-37. PMC1995208. PMID17683599.
10. ^Chiu, Yao-Chu; Lin, Ching-Hung; Huang, Jong-Tsun; Lin, Shuyeu; Lee, Po-Lei; Hsieh, Jen-Chuen (March 2008). 'Immediate gain is long-term loss: Are there foresighted decision makers in the Iowa Gambling Task?'. Behavioral and Brain Functions. 4 (1): 13. doi:10.1186/1744-9081-4-13. PMC2324107. PMID18353176.
11. ^Richard L. Peterson (9 July 2007). Inside the Investor's Brain: The Power of Mind Over Money. Wiley. ISBN978-0-470-06737-6.
12. ^'Nassim Nicholas Taleb Home & Professional Page'. www.fooledbyrandomness.com.

External links[edit]

• A free implementation of the Iowa Gambling task is available as part of the PEBL Project. For free, you will need to contribute to the WIKI, financially, software development, or publish and cite the program.
• A customizable version of the web implementation that works with Google Spreadsheets (your own spreadsheet) is here.
• A free implementation for Android and iPad.

Iowa gambling laws have fostered a substantial land-based casino industry. Iowa has 20 brick-and-mortar casinos, which is a lot for the state ranked 31st in population size. Iowa has three racinos, a state lottery which embraces Mega Millions and Powerball, and a large charitable gambling sector. Starting in 2017, Iowa has simulcasting and off-track betting — a sign the current legislature is ready to pass more gaming laws.

At the same time, Iowa has an expansive definition of gambling. Authorities also considered most form of unregulated gaming as illegal. With four degrees of illegality, the state is ready to enforce even minor offenses. With a hardline policy on online poker, daily fantasy sports, and other skill games, Iowa is state where players must think long and hard about unregulated gambling.

Best Iowa Online Casinos, Sportsbooks & Poker Sites 2020

Iowa State Gambling Laws

Laws That Pertain to Iowa Gambling

Iowa gambling laws do not distinguish between a player and an operator. The law does distinguish between the amount of wagering taking place, which obviously means operators tend to be more liable. High rollers are punished more in Iowa than most states, though.

Section 725.1(1)

A person shall not do any of the following:

1. Participate in a game for any sum of money or other property of any value.
2. Make any bet.
3. For a fee, directly or indirectly, give or accept anything of value to be wagered or to be transmitted or delivered for a wager to be placed within or without the state of Iowa.

Almost any form of unregulated gambling is considered illegal, similar to Illinois and Indiana. In fact, Iowa’s definition of gambling is somewhat more expansive. Not only is risking a sum of money or other property gambling, but also giving or accepting anything of value (to make a wager) for a fee is considered gambling. This stipulation covers numbers running, but also would cover fees charged by poker clubs.

Presumably, Section 725.1 could be applied to online gambling sites. If a poker site, online sportsbook, or online casino charged fees of any kind and then offered gambling, it would fall under provisions of the law. In Iowa, players face charges of illegal gambling in “four degrees”. The more you wager, the higher your sentence. Gambling over $5000 is illegal gambling in the 1st degree. Wagering between $501 and $5000 is gambling in the 2nd degree. Betting between $101 and $500 is gambling in the 3rd degree, while risking $100 or less is considered gambling in the 4th degree.

Is Gambling Legal in the State of Iowa?

Yes, land-based forms of gambling are legal in Iowa, including casinos, racetracks, charitable gambling, and lottery ticket sales. Despite a few idiosyncratic laws involving illegal gambling, Iowa lawmakers stay firmly in the mainstream of American statutes when it comes to gambling.

Online gambling is a different matter. Despite attempts in 2012, 2013, and 2018, online poker is unlikely to be legalized anytime soon. An attempt to combine a sports betting and online gambling bill in 2019 has some chance of being passed. Iowa newspapers have endorsed such a move. It remains unlikely, because the revenue stream it would create does not appear great enough to offset the downsides: the costs of implementation, land-based casino revenue cannibalization, and perceived social costs.

Iowa Gambling Laws

Type of Gambling – Offered/Licensed? – Notes & Restrictions

• Online Gambling – No – Online poker and casinos are banned.
• Land-Based Casinos – Yes – 20 land-based casinos and 3 racinos.
• Charitable Gaming – Yes – Both bingo licenses and social gambling licenses.
• Lottery Betting – Yes – State Lottery (1985), Powerball (1988), Mega Millions (2010).
• Minimum Gambling Age – 21 for all forms of gambling.

Is Online Poker Legal in Iowa?

Iowa Online Poker Laws

Iowa has not legalized online poker. In 2012, the Iowa Senate passed Senate File 2275 by a margin of 29-20, but the bill failed in the General Assembly. In 2013, the Senate Study Bill 1068 was introduced. Eventually, SSB 1068’s sponsors realized the Republican-controlled legislature would vote down the bill, so they let it die in committee.

Iowa Gambling Task Professional Manual

In 2015, the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission (IRGC) approved a study which showed that online gambling would generate $13 million a year in revenue for the state government. The IRGC report failed to win support, so no bill was introduced until 2018. An attempt to pass online gambling failed in 2018, but might be on the table in 2019 or 2020, due to the inclusion of a sports betting bill that would allow Iowa’s casinos to operate sportsbooks.

On January 15, 2019, The Gazette published an op-ed article by Adam Sullivan which made the case for Iowa to legalize online poker. Sullivan pointed out it is unlikely to happen, because of the large number of land-based casino operators in the state. It’s counterintuitive, but land-based casinos often oppose online gambling, because they think customers will stay home to play online poker and spend less than they would in their casinos.

What Is Iowa Gambling Task

In the case of Iowa, the land-based casino operators largely supported the sports betting and online gambling bill — but it failed anyway. Adam Sullivan wrote, “There was an unsuccessful bill in the Iowa Legislature last year (2018) to authorize sports betting in-person and online, after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a federal statute that strictly limited states’ sports betting programs. Gaming lobbyists supported that bill, since it would have put the new system under control of existing licensees.”

It is not out of the realm of possibility that Iowa could pass online poker in the next few years, but it has a history of failure in the legislature.

Is Sports Betting / Daily Fantasy Sports Legal in Iowa?

Sports betting is, in many ways, tied to online poker in Iowa. Since last year’s bill included sports betting and online gambling, it is natural to predict that a 2019 sports betting bill could include online poker and casino betting. Since the state’s land-based casinos supported last year’s bill after 5 years when no bill was introduced, it is likely that support stemmed from a hope for adding sportsbooks.

In that case, then Iowa lawmakers eventually might separate sports betting from online gambling. Sportsbooks in casinos might pass on its own accord, though such a bill might not be forthcoming until 2020 or later, when attempts at an omnibus gambling bill fail (if they fail). Iowa has more activity than some of its neighbors, though.

One point against sports betting legalization is Iowa’s attitude towards daily fantasy sports. Iowa’s legislature refuses to legalize DFS gaming. Worse, DraftKings, FanDuel, and Fantasy Draft do not accept real money players from Iowa. As a good rule of thumb, when daily fantasy sports can’t pass in the legislature, sports betting is doomed.

Does Iowa have land-based casinos?

Iowa has more than its share of land-based casinos. It has 20 brick-and-mortar casinos, including tribal and commercial gaming operations. Indiana also has one horse track casino and two dog track casinos, for a total of 23 land-based casino operations in the state.

CASINOS

Does Iowa have any legal betting tracks / shops?

Yes. Prairie Meadows Racetrack Casino in Altoona, Horseshoe Casino in Council Bluffs, and Q Casino & Hotel in Dubuque are the three racinos in the state. Prairie Meadows began as a horse track, while Horseshoe Casino and Q Casino began as greyhound parks. Casino gambling now is the main driver of revenue at each racino these days. Here are the three addresses of all three venues.

HORSE TRACK RACINO

DOG TRACK RACINOS

Iowa Gambling Task Demo

Does Iowa allow off-track betting?

Yes. Starting in 2017, Indiana’s legislature allowed simulcasting and off-track betting at facilities like Wild Rose Casino & Resort in Clinton and the Meskwaki Bingo Casino Hotel at Tama. Races from famous US venues like Santa Anita Park, Aqueduct, Oak Lawn, and Keeneland are available in simulcasts with racebook betting. The racetrack casinos have off-track betting, as well.

Does Iowa allow charitable gambling?

Yes. The Social and Charitable Gambling Unit administers charitable gambling in Iowa according to provisions of Iowa Code Chapter 99B. Licensed educational, public, charitable, civic, religious, and patriotic can conduct charitable gambling for fundraising purposes. Those organizations can offer games of skill or games of chance, including bingo nights, raffles, social gambling (poker nights), and amusement devices.

Is Social gaming allowed in Iowa?

Yes. As noted above, charitable organizations can offer social gaming for fundraising purposes. Poker nights are acceptable if the organizer is licensed, while amusement devices are acceptable if those devices are registered. Iowa has an accepting stance towards most forms of gambling and social gaming is no different.

A social gambling license is required to host social gambling events. Small stakes card games and “parlor games” are allowed. The list of accepted social gambling games includes darts, billiards, poker, gin rummy, pinochle, cribbage, euchre, pepper (bid euchre), pitch, and hearts. If the gaming venue has a beer permit or a liquor license, it also can conduct sports betting pools.

Those with social gambling licenses cannot offer certain forms of charitable gambling. The list includes bingo, raffles, bookmaking (single-game sports bets), roll of the day, poker tournaments, poker runs, or casino-style games other than poker.

Readers might be confused about the allowance of small stakes poker above, but the banning of poker tournaments and poker runs. The distinction is between small, single-table poker games and freezeout tournaments with big prize pools and large fields of entrants. “Poker runs” require people to drive to 5 to 7 venues (usually on a motorcycle) to pick up a playing card for either draw poker or seven-card stud. Poker events which require multiple venues are banned for social gambling license holders.

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Online social casinos like Double Down, Zynga, and Slotomania are available in Indiana. Big Fish Games accepts Indiana residents. MyVegas from MGM Resorts and Play4Fun from Mohegan Sun offer free-to-play casino gaming. Players even can win comps and other rewards at MGM Resorts or Mohegan Sun land-based casinos through freeplay gaming online.